I’m stuck. Uninspired. I have pages worth of brainstormed blog ideas, but none of them are lighting a fire right now.

I just haven’t been feeling it for the past few weeks. But I need to keep at this because I’ve set a goal: create a blog that has enough followers to generate even just a few dollars a month by May 2019.  That’s when my son will graduate high school.

At that point we will have two kids in college. At that point my stay at home mom days will officially be over. Arguably, they should have been over a few years ago.

I have stretched this out as long as I possibly could.  And try as I do, I can’t turn back time. My homeschooling mom days were some of the best days of my life. I cherish those fun, full of learning, sometimes overwhelming, but always rewarding years.

Over lunch, at book club and in the bleachers at varsity ball games, I listen to my friends talk about their careers.  At our age, these women are experts in their chosen fields.  Teaching, nursing, business, banking, fitness.  Some are even, horrors(!), beginning to see retirement on their horizons.  Wait! Stop! I need to catch up!

Impatient to find fulfilling work and to feel professional again, I sometimes rush the process, start doubting myself, and ponder adopting a baby so I can do it all over again. (Just kidding, Steve.)  I try taking deep breaths and trusting that the days when I get stuck are just blips and that I’m on a good path.

In my pre-real food enlightenment days, periods of being stuck or in a funk would be treated with Cheetos, Skittles, Cinnamon Twists from Taco Bell, ice cream, cookies, or pie. Pie. I could go for some pie right about now.

Is there a pie that could satisfy the comfort need AND be real food?

I figured a fruit pie would be more likely to pass the real food test than a cream pie. Bing cherries have been on sale and tasting pretty good lately, so I picked up a few pounds.

The Filling

Forgetting that our cherry pitter broke last summer, I had to punt.  Kitchen hack: chop sticks or skewers.

Nearly all the filling recipes I found called for adding up to a cup of sugar. That seemed like way too much for a fruit pie, especially for sweet Bing cherries. I wondered why any sugar was needed, but the experts tell me sugar, like salt, can act as a flavor enhancer.  I opted for a little honey instead.

The Crust

I didn’t even bother looking at pre-made pie crust dough.  There is just no way Pillsbury is going to qualify.

But for proof I went online: Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Partially Hydrogenated Lard with BHA and BHT to Protect Flavor, Wheat Starch, Water. Contains 2% or less of: Salt, Rice Flour, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Propionate (preservatives), Citric Acid, Yellow 5, Red 40. 

Here are the ingredients for the real food pie crust I made: white whole wheat flour, unsalted butter, salt, maple syrup, water, white vinegar.

This was NOT hard to make, and if you’re skeptical about the whole wheat part, even using a white flour recipe is still better than store bought. And, okay, fine, your grandmother’s pie crust is flakier and more buttery than anything you or I can make, but you also know that pre-made crusts don’t taste like hers either, so…

The Results

I ended up making this pie three times.  The first time it met with family approval, though my son insisted he needed a scoop of ice cream to top it off.

Several of my co-workers at the library were taste testers for the second pie.  Which was a failure. I know this because only one person commented on it, and I’m certain she was just being polite.  Thanks, Liz 🙂  I tried a piece. It looked good, but the filling was, I’m not sure how to describe it other than, dry.  Dry pie?  Not good.

The original recipe I used didn’t require cooking the filling before baking. Then I remembered that cooking fruit helps to release some of its juices, so I found a different filling recipe for the third pie.  Try this one from Well Plated.

Success!

What do you eat when you’re stuck? Maybe there’s a real food version. You can feel comforted and nourished at the same time!

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Sweet Cherry Pie

Try this easy recipe for homemade whole wheat pie crust filled with sweet Bing cherries. The filling recipe is adapted from Well Plated. 

Ingredients

Sweet Cherry Filling

• 4 cups Bing cherries, pitted and halved
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbls fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cups cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whole Wheat Crust

• 2 cups white, whole wheat flour
• 2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbls pure maple syrup (Could substitute with sugar, if you don't have maple syrup)
• 4 tbls cold water
• 1 tbls vinegar

Instructions

1. Combine all filling ingredients in a large saucepan. 

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until mixture is bubbly, thickened, and has a shiny appearance, about 10 minutes. If the filling seems too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water.
   

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you make the crust.

4. Take the butter out of the fridge at the last minute and be sure to cut the sticks into pieces before adding to flour.

   

5. Add flour, salt and butter to a food processor.

   

6. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly.  Be careful not to over process.

   

7. Mix the maple syrup, cold water and vinegar in a small bowl, and then add to the flour mixture.  Pulse again, until the dough begins to form a ball.

   

8. Divide the dough into two balls, flatten into discs and wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap.  Chill for about 30 minutes.

   

9. Roll one of the discs out on a floured board.  Place in 9 inch pie plate.  Add filling.  Roll out second dough disc and carefully place on top of filling. 

   
10. Seal the edges with a fork. Vent the top by cutting a few slits or use a small cookie cutter to make a design.
    
    

11. If you'd like, you can brush a little milk or egg white on top of the pie before baking.  This will give it a nice brown finish and a little shine.

12. Covering the edges with foil helps to keep them from burning before the rest of the crust is done.

    

13. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.